by Julia Roberts

A post office manager who falsified accounts to cover up thousands of pounds worth of cash shortages avoided an immediate prison sentence today.

William Graham, who worked at the Riverhead sub-post office near Sevenoaks, noticed a series of losses in the business accounts during 2008 and 2009.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that due to a "complicated chain of liability" father-of-two Graham would have been responsible for paying any shortfalls.

Already facing personal financial pressures and having paid a similar £5,000 deficiency in 2006, he made false entries to conceal the losses which eventually totalled £65,521.

However, the court was told none of the missing money was pocketed by Graham, who admitted two offences of false accounting in November 2008 and January 2009.

Imposing a sentence of 32 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said he accepted Graham had not stolen the money.

"They were genuine, unexplained losses but you did conceal them," added the judge. "The advantage to you was you kept your job."

The court was told that the Riverhead postmaster was liable to the Royal Mail and had since paid back the money. He may now take civil proceedings against Graham, who lives in Balliol Road, Welling.

But Judge Macdonald commented that he would not himself make a compensation order as the actual shortfall which Graham was responsible for may not be as high as £65,521.

"There must have been some genuine loss before the false accounting offences were committed for which the postmaster would be liable for," he explained.

Graham had been employed at the sub-post office within the Day Lewis chemist since 2002. At the time of the offences he owed almost £50,000 in loans and credit card debts and one of his children had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

Nicholas Cotter, defending, said that pressure led to Graham making "poor decisions".

"He is different from the normal kind of defendant who would have profited by pocketing £65,000; he profited by securing his job.

"He inflated the figures...and once he had started inflating he had to keep it going. He was always going to get caught."

Judge Macdonald said despite the breach of trust he felt able, after "careful consideration", to suspend the jail term in light of Graham's previous good character and family problems.

As part of his sentence Graham must carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay prosecution costs of £3,589. The court was told that he is due to start a new job distributing newspapers.